Prospectus

A
warm welcome to parents/caregivers. It
is great to have you and your child “on board”.
I trust that you and your child will be enriched through your
involvement at Taita Central School.

This
page will give you much of the information you may wish to know about the
school. If you would like clarification
of any matter or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact
us at school.

Throughout
the year we will keep you informed of the school’s activities, as well as
keeping you informed of your child’s progress and achievement. You will also be alerted to any change in the
pattern of your child’s development, whether it is emotional, social, physical
or academic. You, on your part, should
keep your child’s teacher informed of any home event which is likely to have a
bearing on your child’s development.

At
Taita Central School we are continually seeking to build an even stronger,
united, teaching team. Our Staff are
competent people who genuinely care for the children they teach. They show this by meeting the children’s
needs and offering programmes and an environment where children’s learning and
development in academic, physical, social and emotional areas are
paramount. Teachers are always keeping
in mind that our children need to be given skills to cope with the needs and
stresses of an ever-changing world.

We
pride ourselves that we are an ‘Open’ School with an ‘Open-Door’ Policy. This means that we welcome parents/caregivers
visiting classrooms, and that staff will be available to parents/caregivers at
the earliest opportunity.

Should
you at any time be worried about your child, whether it is related to home or
school, please come and see us. An early
warning will often enable us to solve the problem quickly.

We look forward to building a partnership in learning with you.

Kind
regards,

Tania Cohen

PRINCIPAL

EXPECTATIONS

At Taita Central School,
because we want children to learn and be safe, we:

ØWalk in classrooms and around buildings

ØPlay ball games outside in approved areas

ØHave specialized activities in nominated areas

ØSolve problems peacefully by talking them through and
listening to each other

ØCall people by their proper name

ØAsk permission of the owner before using their
property

ØPut rubbish in bins and clean up after ourselves

ØEncourage people when they are trying

ØGet permission to leave the school grounds during
school hours

ØAre in the right place at the right time

ØSpeak politely to each other

ØFollow school and classroom rules

ØTake responsibility for our own actions

ØTreat others as we would like them to treat us

ØDo our best with school work and other activities

ØCare for our environment.

These Expectations have
been summarised in our three School Rules:

SCHOOL RULES

ØShow respect to people and property

ØListen carefully to instructions and follow them
promptly

ØBe in the right place at the right time.

Accidents

Please ensure the office
has an up-to-date Emergency Contact number so you can be contacted in the event
of an accident or illness. Children are
cared for in the medical room until an adult in charge arrives. Minor mishaps are dealt
with by staff members.

Admission to School

We provide an enrolment
package for all new enrolments. This
consists of:

·If a child is
away for more than about seven days in a term then they will not be achieving
the 85%.

·We also
acknowledge excellent attendance. Each
Term we recognise all students who achieve a 100% attendance rate by presenting
them with certificates.

·We have approval
from the Ministry of Education to use an electronic Attendance Register,
instead of the old paper Register. This
means that Teachers mark attendance/absences on a computer database via their
laptop/computer. One advantage is that
we can generate very specific attendance information for each child at the
‘press of a button’. Approval from the
Ministry is given on condition that clear reasons are entered for
absences. If parents/caregivers do not
directly indicate (by phone, note, face-to-face) as to why a student is absent
then the student could be classified as ‘truant’, in which case the Truancy
Service could be informed. Consequently,
it is very important that parents/caregivers inform us if your child is absent.

Behaviour

·We are very
pleased by the attitude and behaviour of our students. However, to ensure that children are not
distracted from their primary task of learning, and to ensure the highest
standards of behaviour, we follow the school Behaviour Management Discipline
Plan very closely. To this end, we will
contact parents/caregivers if we have any concerns. We would also ask parents/caregivers to
contact us if you have any matters or concerns you wish to discuss. Working in partnership with you will assist
us to provide the best education for your child. So that you are aware of the School’s

·Behaviour
Management Discipline Plan this is attached at the end of this booklet. It would be beneficial if you could discuss
this with your children.

·We also have
numerous ways of rewarding good behaviour from our students and place huge
emphasis on positive reinforcement of good behaviour.

·If there is a
second occasion in a three week period that a child displays inappropriate
behaviour the parents/caregivers will be informed in writing, with a copy of
any Think Sheet which the child has filled out.

Bicycles at School

·Children under 10
years of age should not ride a bike to school, unless under adult supervision.

·All cyclists must
wear a helmet.

·Children should
not ride on the footpaths or in the school grounds.

·Bike stands are
provided.

Board of Trustees (BoT) Meeting

·BoT meetings are
held monthly. Dates are advertised in
the School Newsletter.

·All
parents/caregivers are welcome to attend. They are held at 6:30pm in the school staffroom.

Breakfast Club

Currently the Arise Church
provide a cooked breakfast for our children every Monday and Wednesday morning
from 7.40 a.m. –

8.40 a.m.

Camp

A Senior Camp (for Year 5
& 6 students) is held every second year, usually odd number years (e.g. 2017,
2019, 2021 etc).

Car Park

The school car park is out
of bounds to children. The car park must
not be used to drop-off or pick-up your child because it is dangerous.

Classroom Help

Parents are encouraged to
take part. Help is often needed,
particularly in Kowhai Block.

Classes

Our policy is to have a
lower number of children per teacher in their early years at school and
gradually increase this number in more senior classes, as students become more
independent. This is to ensure that our
children get the best start at school.
Each year, as numbers increase, we may have a reshuffle, usually at the
start of term 3 or term 4.

Clothing

·We ask you to
name all items of clothing and footwear.

·Footwear is to be
worn at all times outside to protect feet.

·Lost Property is
collected and stored in the Blocks.
Parents are encouraged to check for lost items. Unclaimed property is donated to charity at
the end of each term.

Dental Clinic

Children will be initially
seen in the mobile clinic which visits the school. For further treatment children will be seen
at the new enlarged clinic at Naenae Intermediate.

Earthquake Drill

An Earthquake Drill is
conducted every term to ensure familiarisation in case of the real thing.

Dictionary Agreement

A Dictionary is loaned to
each child in Pohutukawa and Matai Block for their exclusive use at
school.

Duffy Books in Schools

As part of the Duffy Books
in Schools Programme, each year all children will receive five free books. The cost of this is shared between the
government, the Duffy Foundation, a school sponsor (Scholastic N.Z. Ltd Wellington), and Taita Central School.

Emergency Contact Information

From time to time you will
be asked to fill in an Emergency Contacts Form.
Please ensure we have up-to-date records, particularly if we ever need to
contact you in an emergency.

ESOL

We have an experienced ‘English for
Students of Other Languages’ (ESOL) teacher on our staff, who oversees the progress of these students and teacher aides who work with groups of students.

Fire Evacuation Drill

A Fire Evacuation Drill is
conducted every term to ensure familiarisation in case of the real thing.

Food for Thought

Please ensure that your
child has breakfast each morning, and that they have sufficient morning tea and
lunch. Students cannot learn properly if they are hungry.

Fruit in Schools

We have been part of the
Fruit in Schools Programme since October 2006.
(Fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with reduced risk of
disease such as heart disease and some cancers.
New Zealand children generally have a low level of consumption of fruit
and vegetables).

Every day each child will
receive a free piece of fruit. This
fruit is to supplement food from home – not to replace it.

Grounds

The Board of Trustees have
a policy which makes Taita Central School an ‘Alcohol Free’ area (unless
consumption was authorised by the Board of Trustees or Principal). It has also authorised the Police to act
under their authority to inform any person consuming alcohol or acting
disorderly within the grounds to leave and/or stay off the property. The intention behind this policy was not to
have a blanket ban on alcohol as such, but to stop drinking troublemakers from
vandalising and tagging the school. You
can help us by calling the Police on 111 if you see drinking troublemakers or
taggers on school property at the weekend/evenings.

Head Lice & Nits

As with all schools we
occasionally have head lice and nits.
The School Newsletter will carry warnings of this. Please check your child’s hair regularly, and
treat it immediately if needed.

Suggested treatment:

·Apply hair conditioner onto dry hair quite thickly and
then use a metal comb through the hair.

·The head lice and eggs stick to the conditioner and
make it easier to remove them.

·After each stroke with the comb, wipe it onto a paper
towel – you will see the results.

·Don’t forget to change bed linen at the same time as
bed linen may harbour the nits and lice.

Homework

This may be given to
reinforce learning, especially in the reading, mathematics and spelling areas.

Inter-School Sport

Children take part in
inter-school sports as part of the school programme.

Library

Children are able to
borrow books from the school library under class supervision. Please help care for these books and check
they are returned when due. A charge will be made for lost or damaged books.

Lockdown Drill

A Lockdown Drill is
conducted every term to ensure familiarisation in case of the real thing.

Lucky Book Club

Each term children have
the opportunity to purchase Book Club Books.

Lunches and Lunch Orders

·Children do not
leave the school grounds during the lunch hour unless we have a specific
request from parents/caregivers.

·We may offer
Lunch orders from time to time. Please
ensure that you write on, or in, the envelope (containing the money) your
child’s name, area number, and order; and place in the blue box by the Admin
Block / Quad door by 8.55 a.m.

·If you need to
deliver your child’s lunch please leave it at the school office.

Lost Property

Lost property is collected and stored
in the Blocks. Unclaimed property is
donated to charity at the end of each term.

Mobile Phones

Students are not to have
mobile phones at school. If a student
must have one for after school use, they must leave it at the School Office for
safekeeping.

Money & Valuables

·Money should be
in a sealed envelope and clearly labelled.

·Children are
requested not to bring other money or toys to school.

Netball Children have the opportunity to join a school Netball team for Saturday netball.

Noticeboard

A Noticeboard is situated
near the corner of the Admin Block and the

quad. Please have a ‘glance’ as you come in to pick
up your children. However, the
Newsletter is still the primary method of communication with home.

Organisation

·To ensure that teachers
have an uninterrupted one-hour period for each of reading, writing and
mathematics, lunch is 12.25 pm – 1.25 pm.
Morning tea is 10.40 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.

·Students can
enter classrooms at 8.30 a.m. to get prepared.
At 8.55 a.m. a warning bell will indicate that all students are to go to
class. All students will actually start
lessons by 9.00 a.m. Please would
parents/caregivers ensure that your
child is at school by 8.45 a.m. This
will ensure that all students are ready and prepared to start work promptly at
9.00 a.m

New Zealand
Curriculum – Overview

The NZ Curriculum

Below is an overview of the main features of the NZ
Curriculum which all schools must follow.

Vision: Young
People who will be confident, connected, actively involved, life-long
learners.

·The School
Newsletter is sent home with your child every second Thursday, and is numbered and
dated. It is very important that you
read it regularly as it is our main method of keeping you up-to-date with
school information, activities and events.
A ‘Coming Events’ and a ‘To Action’ section is always included at the
bottom of the front page, as a helpful reminder, particularly if you attached
the Newsletter to your fridge door, notice board etc. If the Newsletter is not brought home on a Thursday, please let us know. If you, or friends or whanau, would like to receive the School Newsletter by email please let the Office know, or email us at

From time to time
there will need to be extra school notices and Block newsletters sent home.

The School Newsletter is also available on the website www.taitacentral.school.nz

Parent-Teacher Interviews and Report

§We provide two
formal interview times between parent/caregivers and teachers.

oIn March, there
are Goal-Setting Interviews where parents/caregivers jointly set goals for your
child, with their class teacher.

oIn August there
are Parent-Teacher Interviews where your child’s progress will be discussed.

§School will close
at 2.00 p.m. on these days to allow time for all interviews.

§Interview times
are between 2.10 p.m. – 5.20 p.m. and resume after tea at 6.20 p.m. – 7.30 p.m.
We aim for 100% attendance, so please keep this time free when it is
advertised in the Newsletter.

§A written Report
for Parents/Caregivers is provided by teachers in July and December.

Parents Visiting Teachers

Parents are asked to talk
to teachers about their child before or after school as it can be difficult to
have a meaningful conversation if the teacher is teaching a class. An appointment may be necessary.

Parent Tutor Reading

We run a very successful
Parent Tutor Reading Programme which involves parents/caregivers working with
some of our senior children requiring extra tuition in their reading. Results have been outstanding. If you would like to be involved with this
programme (for example: 1 ½ hours one day a week) at a time suitable to
you, please contact school.

Parking Area

The School car park is out
of bounds to children. The car park must
not be used to drop-off or pick-up your child because it is dangerous.

Photographs

Each year, there are class
photographs taken. Parents/Caregivers
can also order individual photographs which are usually taken on the same day.

Picking up Children

No child is to be picked
up before the 3 p.m. bell, unless a teacher or the office is informed. This especially applies to Kowhai Block
children on Wednesday afternoons during their ‘choosing time’ session.

It is also important that
the school is informed if an adult, not known to the class teacher or the
school, is to pick up a child. We need
to ensure the safety of all children.

Reading Recovery

We have a Reading Recovery
Teacher on our staff, who works every morning, giving specific reading
assistance to some of our younger children.

Road Patrols

·Please impress
upon your child the importance of crossing where the School Patrol is, and that
they must abide by the instructions of the School Patrollers.

·Patrols are on
duty at the Churton Crescent entrance to school from 8.30 a.m. – 8.55 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. – 3.15 p.m. daily.

·The School
Levy/Donation is set by the Board of Trustees and is requested each year to
supplement the shortfall in funding. The
money is used for Sports Gear, reading resources, audio visual material,
library books etc. We also have to
fundraise each term to supplement this income.

·The annual School
Levy/Donation is set at $60 for one child, $80 for two or more children.

Stationery

Stationery can be
purchased through the school at competitive prices. If you choose to purchase stationery
elsewhere, please ensure that it is of reasonable quality.

Cheap pencils are often difficult to sharpen
and don’t last long, which actually make them more expensive

If a child needs items
during the year the teacher will give the child a stationery slip. Items may be bought at the school office.

Study Centre

We run a Study Centre on
Monday – Thursday 3.00 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. Numbers are limited and preference is given to
Year 5 & 6 students because of our contract with the Ministry of Education
which provides the funding.

Sunhats

As part of our Sun Smart
Policy, during summer, we expect students to wear a sunhat for their protection
during break times. Subject to supply,
we will issue a sunhat to any student who wants one. This will be for their use, but it
must remain at school. Obviously,
students can bring and use their own sunhat if they prefer.

Swimming

Swimming usually takes
place in Term 4, however the timing is dependant on pool
availability.

Swimming is a very
important part of the school curriculum, so we expect all children to take
part. If your child is unable to take part
for medical reasons, a note must be sent to school. Swimming takes place at the Naenae Pool. Children and teachers are transported by bus
to the pool. There is no cost for the pool
or the buses.

Teacher Registration

·All teachers
employed at Taita Central School are registered with current Practising
Certificates, This also includes
relieving teachers that we employ. Quite
simply, we will not employ unregistered teachers. Every three years all teachers must re-apply
to the Teachers Council for a Registered Teacher Practising Certificate. This is issued following verification of a
minimum standard of training, performance, professional development, as well as
a Police clearance.

·All non-teaching
staff at Taita Central School have a Police vet every three years. This is to ensure that students are not
exposed to any unacceptable risk. All
our non-teaching staff have satisfactory Police Vets.

Toys

Children are asked not to bring toys to school. Skateboards
and Roller blades/Skates may be brought to
school on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Trips

We welcome parent help on
trips. If Parent transport is used for
any trip;

·The parent
(driver) must have a current full driver’s licence. ·The vehicle must
have current Registration and Warrant of Fitness. ·Every child must
wear a seat belt.

HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD
SETTLE INTO SCHOOL

ØTalk to your child about starting
school and encourage the use of kindergarten visits prior to starting school.

ØHelp your child learn to put on
his/her shoes and do them up.

ØHave clothing that is easy to manage,
i.e. buttons, zip etc.

ØLabel all
clothing and footwear as well as other possessions.

ØInsist on
obedience to essential rules at home and school.

ØGive your child
duties to do around home, which need only one or two simple instructions. This will give your child confidence to
complete small tasks. See that the task
is completed.

ØRead to your
child regularly. Be sure that the child
is listening.

ØTake your child
on family outings to give him/her new experiences.

ØDiscourage ‘baby
talk’ and talk freely with your child.

ØSend your child
to school on time each day.

ØEncourage your
child by admiring his/her work when he/she brings it home.

ØSupervise any
reading or homework set by the teacher.

ØMake sure your
child has regular rest and sleep patterns.

ØMake sure your
child knows the quickest, safest route to school.

ØHelp your child take responsibility
for his/her own school things. i.e. pack
own school bag with lunch, reading folder, library book, etc.

ØHelp him/her to
recognise his/her name in written form.

Taita Central Behaviour Management Discipline Plan

All issues will be documented in the ‘Incident notebook’ that the duty teacher will carry them. This will give us an indication of repeat behaviours which would lead to a more serious consequence.

As we are a ‘restorative practice’ school, all students will get the chance to talk through their behaviour with an adult. The severity of the behaviour will dictate who that adult is.

‘Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by certain types of behaviour. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders (perpetrator/s, victim/s, whanau)’.

Small Issues

Arguments over playground equipment

Accidental contact (through running games)

Name calling

Isolating other children

These will be dealt with by the on duty teacher if during interval or lunch time. Or the classroom teacher during class time.

Moderate Issues

Playground tussle

Swearing (in the playground)

Intimidating behaviour towards other students

Not following teacher/adult instruction

These will be dealt with by the duty teacher and/or the DP or AP. This may include removal from the playground and/or reflection sheets in our reflection room.

Major Issues

Fighting with other students

Intentional breaking or damage of school property

Swearing directly at staff or visiting adults

Absolute defiance of adult instruction

These behaviours will be sent directly to the Principal/DP/AP. Parents will be notified by phone. Student/s will be removed from the playground/classroom and will spend time with a teacher in a restorative meeting. If the behaviour warrants it, parents of both parties will be asked to be a part of the restorative process.

If these behaviours continue, parents will be sent a formal letter outlining the next steps, which may include: stand down, suspension and possibly exclusion.

We feel that Restorative processes best fit the culture and kaupapa of Taita Central School. We aim to get to the root of any behavioural issues and fix the underlying problems so the behaviours do not continue or re-surface.